Steam iron



Aug. 30, 1955 A. c. HOECKER 2,716,297

STEAM IRON Filed March 3l, 1948 /VSULA T/ON /66 FIG. l.

/26 mma/MAW tritati STEAM IRON Albert C. Hoecker, St. Louis, Mo.

Application March 31, 1948, Serial No. 18,091

6 Claims. (Cl. 38-77) This invention relates to steam electric irons having a steam boiler from which steam is conducted to the material to be ironed, for steaming the material, and a water container independent of the boiler from which atomized water is conducted to the material to be ironed for dampening the material, the water being atomized by the steam pressure within the steam boiler.

This application represents improvements over the construction disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 2,387,757, issued October 30, 1945.

The conventional household steam iron boiler is a very small boiler, which requires frequent refilling, thereby delaying the ironing. Furthermore, the conventional steam iron does not furnish sufficient moisture to remove wrinkles from most clothing.

Therefore it is the primary object of this invention to provide a steam boiler for conducting steam to the material to be ironed, and a Water container independent of the boiler from which water, in atomized form can be conducted to the material to be ironed, for dampening the material. The water container being independent of the boiler, so that iilling the container with Water will not interfere with the steam pressure in the boiler. The steam pressure within the boiler being utilized for steaming the material to be ironed and for siphoning the water out of the container and for atomizing the water siphoned out of the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide an iron of the above mentioned type which is streamlined.

Other and further objects will appear in the specification and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had` to the accompanying drawings exemplifying the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal` sectional view of the iron.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is section taken on line 12-12 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the iron.

Referring to the iron illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4. The iron comprises a sole plate 124 provided on its top surface with a V-shaped steam distributing channel 125 at the forward end thereof having a plurality of perforations or openings 126 therein, providing discharge outlets to the under surface of the sole plate 124. A second channel 127 is provided on the top surface of the sole plate 124 for directing steam from the boiler 128 to the channel 12S. Said channel 127 extends from the channel 125 at the toe of the iron to an opening 129 in the sole plate, and cast as an integral part of the sole plate and surrounding the opening 129 is an annular ring 130 which engages the lower wall of the boiler, when the sole plate is secured to the boiler, so as to prevent any steam passing through the opening 129 from coming in contact with the heating element 132, and extending through the wall of the annular ring is a slot 136" which communicates with the channel 127 and channel 125', so that when the iron is in contact With the material being ironed the steam passing through the opening 129 will enter said channels and be conducted to the 2,716,297 Patented Aug. 3U, 1955 material through the openings or perforations 126. A hollow screw or steam distributing head 135 having a tapered part 136 which engages the sole plate 124 is screw-threaded into the boiler 128 for securing the sole plate to the boiler, and in the wall of the head 135 is a slot 136 which communicates with the slot 136" in the annular ring 131i, so that any steam passing through the opening in the distributing head 135 will enter the channels and 127 and conducted to the material being ironed, as previously mentioned.

Surrounding the channel 127 and the annular ring 131i and extending from the channel 125 at the toe of the iron to the rear of the iron is a depression 131 for the reception of an electrical heating element 132. It will be noted that the electrical heating element 132, as shown in the drawing, does not extend from the toe of the iron but extends from the annular ring to the rear of the iron, however, it is obvious that the heating element can be designed to t the depression as previously mentioned. The heating element 132 is provided with the conventional terminals 133 which extend through the lower wall 134 of the boiler 123 and are connected to a conductor 135, which conducts electrical energy from a source of electrical supply to the heating element 132. The rear end of the soleplate is secured to the boiler 123 by a screw 136".

Near the forward end of the iron is a double wall170, so as to provide a partition and thereby provide a boiler 128 and an independent water container, and between the walls 172 is an air space 171, and since the walls extend to the side top and bottom walls of the iron and cast as an integral part of the iron, openings or perforations 172 extend through the side walls of the iron, in communication with the air space 171 for admitting air into the air space. t will be noted that the air space 171 is to prevent the steam in the boiler from heating the water in the Water container 137, and thereby making it possible to ll the water container with water, Without interfering with the steam in the steam boiler 128.

As previously mentioned the conventional steam iron boiler is a very small boiler and requires frequent relling of the boiler, thereby delaying the ironing. Furthermore, steam does not furnish sutlicient moisture to remove wrinkles from most clothing and therefore water must also be taken from the boiler to mix with the steam to properly dampen the clothing. Obviously, utilizing both the steam and water from the boiler will require much more time for lling the boiler with water, and much more time will be wasted, waiting for steam to be generated each time the boiler is filled with water. Therefore, it is the object of this invention to provide a water container 137, which is independent of the boiler 128, so that water can be taken from the water container 137, for dampening the clothing, utilizing the steam from the boiler, only, for atomizing the water. Obviously, with the water container being independent of the boiler, water can be introduced into the water container 137, without interfering with the steam in the boiler.

Extending up in the boiler 128 and cast as an integral part of the boiler wall 170 is a box-like: steam chamber 138, part of which extends into the water container 137 and part extending into the boiler, and in the steam chamber 138 is a partition 139, dividing the steam chamber 138 into two compartments, and in the partition 139, is a tapered opening 14d, which communicates with the lower compartment and with a conduit 141. The conduit 141 is cast as an integral part of the box-like steam chamber' 138 and conducts the steam from the boiler 121i. through a nozzle 142 and through the opening in the sole plate to the material to be ironed.

The atomizng nozzle 142 has a dual purpose, it atomizes any water passing therethrough, and also conducts the steam to the material to be ironed. The upper' compartment walls extend up to the upper boiler wall 177 and are Cast as an integral part thereof, and in the side wall of the box-like steam chamber 138 and communicating with the interior of the boiler is an opening or steam inlet 137".

In the upper wall 177 of the boiler 128 and container 137 are two tapered openings 161 and 137. The opening 161 communicating with the water space in the water container 137, and the opening 137' communicating with the interior of the boiler 128. For closing the openings 161 and 137' a casting 154 is provided with extending correspondingly tapered parts 160 and 144. Extending above the tapered part 144 and cast as an integral part the casting 154 is a stuffing box 145, and extending through the stuing box and tapered part 144 is an opening for a valve stem 146, and on the lower end of the valve stem is a valve having a tapered part 147 adapted to be seated in a correspondingly tapered opening 14S in the lower end of the tapered part 144. Surrounding the valve stem 146 is a packing gland 149, screw-threaded on the stuffing box 145, for adjusting the packing 150, and extending from the packing gland 149 to a button 151 for operating the valve is a spring 152, which spring is adapted to hold the tapered part 147 of the valve seated in the tapered opening 148. Below the tapered part 147 of the valve, the valve has a tapered part 153 adapted to be seated in the correspondingly tapered opening 14@ in the partition 139.

The reason for the box-like steam chamber 138, and for extending it into the water container 137, is to provide suicient space around the handle 134, to grasp the handle. It will be noted that the conduit 141 and Walls 170 could be moved forward, so that the tapered part 153 of the valve would be in alignment with the conduit, however, moving the walls 170 and conduit forward would r decrease the size of the water container, and require more frequent lling of the container 137. Obviously, if the walls 171) and conduit 141 are moved forward, the boxlike steam chamber could be eliminated.

Also cast as an integral part of the casting 154 is a nozzle or uid conductor 155, and in the nozzle 155 is a discharge outlet 157, which communicates with the opening 158 in the nozzle, for directing atomized water from the water container 137 to the materia to be ironed. The

opening 158 in the nozzle communicates with the opening surrounding the valve stem 146, and in the valve stem 146 are one or more slots 159 which extend from the tapered part 147 of the valve along the stem to a level above the opening 158, so that when the button 151 is depressed the valve will be unseated and the steam from the boiler 12S will pass through said slots into the opening 158 and out through the discharge outlet 157. Cast as an integral part of the tapered part 160 of the casting 154 is a conduit or tubular member 162, which communicates with the water space in the water container 137 and with the opening 15S in the nozzle or Huid conductor 155, for admitting water from the water container 137 into the opening 153. Extending above the tapered part 161) of the casting 154 and cast as a part thereof is a stuting box 156, and screw-threaded on the stuffing box is a packing gland 166, for adjusting the packing 167. Extending through the stuffing box 156 is an opening for the reception of a valve stem 163, and at the upper end of the valve stem 163 is a knob 164, for manipulating the valve stem. The lower end of the valve stem 163 is tapered and cooperates with a correspondingly tapered opening 165 in the conduit or tubular member 162 for controlling the water from the container 137 to the opening 158 in the nozzle 155. The valve stem 163 extends through the opening 158, and in alignment with the opening S the diameter of the stern is decreased, so as to allow the steam from the boiler 128 to pass around the stern. For advancing and retracting the valve stem 163 for adjusting the tapered part of the valve steam 163 in the tapered opening 165, the valve stern and stuffing will not splash into the conduit 141.

box 156 are provided with cooperable screw-threads. The casting 154 with its tapered parts 160 and 144 is held in the openings 137 and 161 by screws 154', for scaling the openings in the boiler 128 and container 137.

In order to prevent the surging or splashing water in thc boiler from entering the conduit or tubular member 141, while the iron is on even keel, as while ironing, but admitting the water into the member 141, when the toe of the iron is tilted downwardly the boiler 128 is provided with a transverse bathe 173 having its upper end 174 curved downwardly, so as to prevent the water from splashing over the top of the baflie, and for admitting water into the tubular member or conduit 141, when the toe of thc iron is tilted downwardly, the bathe 173 is provided with an opening 175. This opening 175 is very small and admits the water from one side of the baffle 173 to the other side, to equalize the water in the boiler, and since there is such small space between the front wall of the boiler and the front side of the baffle 173 the water The opening is also for another purpose, which will be later described. The bathe 173 extends from the front wall of the boiler to the side walls of the boiler and are cast as an integral part of the boiler 12S. As an additional means for preventing the water from splashing into the conduit or tubular member 141, the iron is provided with a baie 176 extending from the top of the boiler and to the sides thereof and cast as an integral part of the boiler.

The forward end wall of the water container 137 is provided with an opening 168 for introducing water into the container, and screw-threaded in said wall is a plug 169 for closing the opening.

At the rear of the boiler 128 and in the upper Wall of the boiler is an opening 17S and screw-threaded in said wall is a a threaded ller plug 179, which, when re moved, provides an opening 178 for filling the boiler 123 with water.

To operate the iron it is only necessary to remove the plugs 179 and 169 and till the container 137 and the boiler with the desired amount of water and replace the plugs. Electrical connection is then made between the conductor and a source of electrical energy. This will result in the electrical heating element 132 giving oi heat which will heat the sole plate 124 and the walls ot the boiler so as to convert the water therein into steam. The steam so produced will pass upwardly into the steam space 180 and steam chamber 138 and downwardly through the opening into the conduit or tubular member 141 and out through the opening 143 in the nozzle 142 into the hollow screw or distributing head 135, and while the iron is resting on the material being ironed, through the slots 136 and 136 into the channels 127 and 125 from which the steam is distributed to the material being ironed through the openings 126 in the sole plate.

To dampen the material to be ironed, the iron is lifted off the material and the toe of the iron tilted downwardly. This will result in the water in the boiler moving forward through the small opening 175 in the baffle 173 into the conduit or tubular member 141, and since the steam in the boiler also enters the steam chamber 13S through the opening 137 in the side of the upper compartment and through the opening 140 in the wall 139 of the steam chamber, it is obvious that steam and water will be mixed in the conduit or tubular member 141, and conducted to the material to be ironed through the nozzle opening 143, as atomized water.

The material ironed may also be dampened from the nozzle by depressing the button 151, which is attached to the valve stern 146 until the tapered part 153 is seated in the opening 140, thereby shutting oft the steam to the tubular member 141, causing the steam in the boiler to enter the opening 158 through the slots 159 in the valve stem 146 and discharge through the discharge outlet 157, and while the steam is passing through the discharge outlet 157, the water is siphoned out of the water container 137 through the conduit or tubular member 162 and dis charged onto the material to be ironed through the discharge outlet 157, for dampening the material. Obviously, when the Water is siphoned out of the water container 137 by the steam from the boiler passing through the opening 158 and discharge outlet 157, the water will be atomized.

The Water passing through the nozzle 155 is regulated by turning the knob 164, which is secured to the valve stern 163 to the right or left, thereby adjusting the tapered part of the valve stem 163 in the tapered opening 165.

The valve mechanism of the valves extend through vertical openings in the handle 184, and the front end of the handle is secured to the casting 154 by a screw 181, and the casting 154 is secured to the iron by screws 154 and the rear end of the handle is mounted over a part 183, which is cast as an integral part of the iron, so as to prevent displacement of the handle, and the handle is secured to the part 183 by a screw 182.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A dampening and pressing iron comprising a steam boiler having a steam space and a water space including a pressing surface, means for heating said pressing surface and the water in said boiler to produce steam, a water container independent of said boiler so said container can be lled with water without interfering with the steam in said boiler, a uid conductor having one end communicating with the steam space in said boiler and the other end having an atomizing discharge outlet for conducting atomized Water to the material to be ironed, Water conducting means communicating with the water in said water container and with said iluid conductor, between the inlet and outlet of said uid conductor, so the steam passing through said fluid conductor will siphon or draw the Water into said fluid conductor and force the water through said atomizing discharge outlet and thereby atomize the Water.

2. A dampening and pressing iron comprising a steam boiler having a steam space and a water space including a pressing surface, means for heating said pressing surface and the water in said boiler to produce steam, a water container, fluid conducting means having one end communicating with the steam space in said boiler and the other end communicating with an atomizing discharge outlet for conducting atomized Water to the material to be ironed, said outlet extending exteriorly of said boiler above said pressing surface so the atomized water can scatter before coming in contact with the material being ironed to properly dampen the material, a water inlet communicating with said Water container and said fluid conducting means for admitting water from said container into said uid conducting means, so the steam when passing through said fluid conducting means will force the water through said atomizing discharge outlet and thereby atomize the water, a conduit communicating with the steam space in said boiler and with an opening through said pressing surface for conducting steam to the material to be ironed, a manually operable valve in the pathway of said iluid conducting means and said conduit, and

adapted to close the opening in said iluid conducting means When steaming the clothing and to open said uid conducting means and close the opening in said conduit to cause the steam to pass through said fluid conducting means to atomize the Water for dampening the clothing.

3. A steam and dampening iron comprising a steam boiler having a steam space and a water space including a pressing surface, means for heating said pressing surtace and the water in said boiler to produce steam, a water container independent of said boiler for the reception of water, a fluid conductor having one end communicating with the steam space in said boiler and the other end having an atomizing discharge outlet for conducting the atomized water to the material to be ironed, a water inlet communicating with said water container and said iluid conductor for admitting the water from said water container into said conductor, so the steam passing through said conductor will force the water through said atomizing outlet and thereby atomize the water passing through said outlet, the outer walls of said water container and steam boiler being formed in one piece to provide a stream line effect, or shape.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the inner walls of the water container are separated and are spaced from the boiler and sole plate, so as to prevent the steam in the boiler and the heat of the heating element from heating the water in the water container.

5. A steam and dampening iron comprising a steam boiler having a steam space and a Water space including a pressing surface, means for heating said pressing surface and the water in said boiler to produce steam, a water container independent of said boiler for the reception of water, a fluid conductor having one end communicating with the steam space in said boiler and the other end directed to the material to be ironed and means communicating with the water space in said water container and with said fluid conductor whereby when the steam from said boiler passes through said uid conductor the water from said water container will be siphoned out of said water container and atomized and conducted to the material to be ironed, for dampening the material.

6. The combination of claim 5 including a valve in the passageway of said liuid conductor for controlling the steam passing through said conductor.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,649,507 Brewer Nov. 15, 1927 1,683,145 Slonaker Sept. 4, 1928 1,697,224 Butman Ian. 1, 1929 1,843,568 Ledbetter Feb. 2, 1932 2,109,326 Tricomi et al. Feb. 22, 1938 2,271,686 Fitzgerald Feb. 3, 1942 2,279,215 Theilgaard Apr. 7, 1942 2,295,341 Finlayson Sept. 8, 1942 2,387,757 Hoecker Oct. 30, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 203,410 Great Britain Sept. 10, 1923 

